SoCal Fugitive Featured on ‘America’s Most Wanted’ Caught

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A man who became a fugitive in 2010 after he was accused of stabbing a friend in the neck has been caught in Grand Junction, Colo., the Huntington Beach Police Department announced on Thursday.

Luke Austin Artinger, who was featured in an episode of “America’s Most Wanted” last August, was arrested in Grand Junction, Colo., police announced on March 6, 2014. (Credit: Huntington Beach Police Department)

Luke Austin Artinger had been wanted in connection with the alleged attempted murder and a parole violation, according to a news release from police.

The parole violation stems from a guilty plea to charges of vandalism and battery related to the stabbing of a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy who tried to detain Artinger after he was caught tagging in February 2007, police said.

Artinger was sentenced to five years in prison in January 2009 after pleading guilty, according to the release. He was released from state prison and paroled in February 2010.

Authorities had been searching for Artinger since he allegedly stabbed his friend and fled on July 3, 2010, the release stated.

He was described by police as a “violent, dangerous offender,” according to the release.

In the nearly four years since he became a fugitive, Artinger was featured on an episode of the television show “America’s Most Wanted” and in several publications, police said.

He was arrested in Grand Junction after being detained by officers who had responded to a complaint of a man possibly trying to sell drugs, the release stated.

Artinger, who initially gave police an assumed name, was booked on charges related to drug trafficking, according to authorities.

However, police later discovered his real identity through fingerprints. Subsequently, the previous charges were added to the drug trafficking ones, police said.

Artinger will be extradited to California at a later date that has yet to be determined, according to the release.